The Commission of Truth and Friendship paid its first visit to Timor-Leste, 20-26 February 2006. The Commission paid the courtesy visits to the President of Republic Democratic Timor-Leste (RDTL) Xanana Gusmao, the Prime Minister Mari’e Alkatiri, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Ramos Horta, the President of National Parliament Francisco Guterres “Lu Olo”, the President of Appeal Court Claudio Ximenes, the Prosecutor General Longuinhos Monteiro, the Minister of Defense Roque Rodrigues and the Military Commander of F-FDTL (Falintil- Forca Defesa Timor-Leste) Taur Matan Ruak.
The CTF also held a meeting and dialogue with Bishop of Diocese Dili Mgr. Alberto Ricardo and Special Representative of Secretary General United Nations (SRSG UN) in Timor-Leste Sukehiro Hasegawa.
In these series of meetings the CTF had the opportunity to inform its working progress and the working plans for the future. In general, the Parliament and and government of RDTL warmly welcomed the CTF’s progress reports and fully supported the CTF in executing its mandate to seek the conclusive truth.
In the meeting of the CTF with the Bishop of Dili advised the CTF to often open the intensive dialogue with victims in revealing the conclusive truth based on the expectation of public Timor-Leste.
In the dialogue of the CTF with SRSG Sukehiro Hasegawa and his staff in Obrigado Barracks had discussed the possibility of UN to assist the CTF in carrying out its tasks. The SRSG also advised his suggestions on the execution of its mandate.
The President of national RDTL well received the existance of the CTF and gave his support to the CTF. He called on the CTF to generate the recommendations that can meet the public expectation of the two countries.
The CTF also paid a field visit to Liquica to meet with the representative of the victims and witnessess of human rights violation to directly obtain more intensive information and picture about the nature, cause and extent of the human rights violation that occurred in Timor-Leste 1999.
In the visit to Timor-Leste, the CTF also held the informal meetings with the NGOs, Diplomatic Corps and academicians. The aim of those meetings are to give the information about its existence, mandate and to inform the work progress of the CTF that have been achieved during the six months as well as the work plan and strategy for the future will be carried out by the CTF in revealing the conclusive truth.
Since its inception, the CTF have held several meetings with various parties in Indonesia such as; the Head of Indonesian National Human Rights Commission, the Head of Commission of Inquiry of Human Rights Violence, Attoney General and Judges who handled the cases of human rights violation in Timor-Leste 1999.